Side-by-side comparison of Marietta, GA and Athens, GA — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Athens has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 3.76% compared to Marietta's 3.48%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $345,000 in Marietta vs $265,000 in Athens, while rents come in at $1,580/mo and $1,280/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Marietta is growing faster at 1.5% annually vs Athens's 1.2%. Marietta leads on home value appreciation at 3.5% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.93% in Marietta vs 0.9% in Athens. Vacancy rates of 5.2% and 5.8% are both healthy, suggesting strong tenant demand in both markets.
Bottom line: Athens edges out Marietta on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.76%, Athens's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Marietta or Athens.